Roller support for boat trailer



March 1961 c. R. STEBER ROLLER SUPPORT FOR BOAT TRAILER r e. m .DR E Rm3 1 m w v F m. M w IHWH 8 3 w x Filed Oct. 28, 1957 Fly 4 United StatesPatent 6 ROLLER SUPPORT FOR BOAT TRAILER Clarence R. Steber, Biloxi,Miss. (3978 S. Byronell Drive, Mobile, Ala.)

Filed Oct. as, 1957, Ser. No. 692,768-

6 Claims. c1. 214-84) This invention relates in general to new andusefulimprovements in boat trailers, and more specifically to animproved roller support for boat trailers.

In order that boats may be slid on and oil? of boat trailers, theaverage boat trailer is provided with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced rollers. These rollers engage the bottom of the boat and serve assupports for the boat. However, when the boat is being transported onthe trailer, the fact that the boat is seated on the rollers results intwo disadvantages. One, the boat has a tendency to continuously shiftwith respect to the trailer due to the freedom of movement on therollers. Secondly, the rollers only provide a small contact area for thebottom of the boat and do not properly support the boat.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide asupport for supporting a boat on a boat trailer, the support being soconstructed whereby either a roller or a flat supporting surface may beselectively presented.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved support forboat trailers, the support being of the type for supporting a boat onthe boat trailer and including a roller and a fiat supporting surface,the support being so constructed whereby once the boat is in position onthe trailer, the support may be pivoted to lower the roller and permitthe flat support surface to come into engagement with the bottom of theboat.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rollersupport for boat trailers, the roller support being of a constructionwhereby it may be readily mounted on either existing trailers or newtrailer construction and which will properly support a boat either formovement along a boat trailer or for secure mounting of the boat trailerfor transportation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved boatsupport for boat trailers, the boat. support 2,975,916 Patented Mar. 21,1961 ice Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view ofthe rear part of the boat trailer and boat and shows the boat support ina lowered position with the flat block engaging the underside of theboat; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 2 andshows-further the details of the latch means for securing the boatsupport with the roller disposed uppermost.

Referring now tothe drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated a boat trailer which is referred to in general by thereference numeral 10. The boat trailer '10 may be of any construction'and includes a frame 12 which among other frame members is formed of apair of longitudinal frame rails 14. The frame 12 is supported by anaxle 16 having wheels 18 on the oppoiste ends thereof. Carried by theframe 12 at longitudinally spaced intervals are boat supports which arereferred to in general by the reference numeral 20. The boat supports 20support a boat 22 for both movement along'the boat trailer 10 and fortransportation by the boat trailer 10.

As is best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the boat supports 20 each include astandard 24. The standard 24 is externally threaded and passes downthrough an associated one of the frame rails 14. The standard .14 iscontained at theproper height by means of a pair of nuts 26 and 28 whichclamp the upper and lowers sides, respectively, of the frame rail '14. I

The upper end of the standard 24 is provided with a transverselyextending support member 30. The support member 30 is generally H-shapedin cross-section and in- 48 secured to the upper side thereof.

including both a roller and'a flat supporting block, there a beingprovided suitable latch means for retaining the roller in an uppermostposition during the loading and unloading of a boat and the supportingblock in the uppermost position during the transporting of a boat.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a rear elevational view of a boat trailerand shows mountedthereon a boat, the boat being supported by the roller supports whichare the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and showsthe specific details of the boat support and the relationship thereofwith respect to the boat, the roller of the boat support being engagedwith the bottom of the boat;

cludes a lower flange 32, a vertical web 34 and an upper flange 36. Thelower flange 30 has welded or other- Wise secured thereto the upper endof the standard 24. Carried by opposite ends of the web 34 are pivotpins 38.

The boat support 20 also includes a support bracket which is referred toin general by the reference numeral 40. The support bracket 40 includesa pair of side plates 42 which are connected together by a transverseplate 44. The side plates 42 receive the pivot pins 38 and pivotallymount the support brackets 40 on the standar 24.

Overlying the transverse plate 44 and rigidly secured thereto is a flatblock 46 having a cushioning member The cushioning member 48 will engagethe bottom 50 of the boat 22 when the boat 22 is positioned on thetrailer 10 for transportation, as is best shown in Figure 3.

The side plates 42 include upstanding ears 52 between which thereextends a shaft 54. Carried by the shaft '54 is a roller 56.

It is to be noted that the roller 56- is disposed below the block 46when the block 46 is engaged with the bottom of the boat 22. However, inorder that the boat 22 may be freely moved along the trailer 10 forlaunching and for retrieving the boat 22, it is desired that the roller56 be disposed uppermost, as is shown in Figure 2. This may be readilyaccomplished due to the fact that the support bracket 40 is pivotallycarried by the standard 24.

In order to facilitate the pivoting of the support bracket 49, there issecured to the underside of the transverse plate 44 a handle 58 whichincludes an offset portion 60. The offset portion 69' is pivotallyconnected to the under side of the plate 44 by means of a pivot pin 62in the form of a conventional fastener. By pushing down on the handle58, the roller 56 may be swung to its uppermost position of Figure 2. Itis to be also noted that the offset portion 60 has an extension 64 whichterminates in a vertically offset portion for engagement beneath theupper flange 36 when the roller 56 is disposed uppermost. This is bestillustrated in Figure 2.

Inasmuch as the axis of the shaft 54 is disposed vertically' above theaxesot the pivot pins 38 when the roller 56 1s disposed uppermost,theweight of the boat 22 does not have a tendency to attempt to pivotthe roller '56 to a lower position. It istherefore necessary-only topreventswinging movement of the roller 56 due to the movement of theboat 22 over the roller 56. This is accomplished by clamping an edge ofthe flange 36 be tween the transverse plate 44- and the extension 64, asshown in Figure 2. I

Once the boat22 has been moved into position on the a trailer 10, it islowered onto the supporting blocks 46 by first swinging the extension 64out of engagement with the upper flange'36 and then by releasing thehandle 58. The weight of the boat 22 together with a slight upwardmovement on the handle 58 will result in the support bracket 40 pivotingfrom the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 3. When in theposition of Figure 3, the boat 22 is ready for travel and the handle 58may then be manipulated to position the ofiset portion-66 above theupper flange 36 as shown in Figure 3 to retain the support bracket 40 ina pivoted position with the block 46 uppermost and supporting the boat'22.

When it is desired to launch the boat 22, it is necessary that thehandle 58 be depressed. Once the handle 58 has been depressed so thatthe roller 56 resumes its position of Figure 2 by elevating the boat 22slightly, the roller 56 is again retained in its uppermost position byswinging the handle 5-8 forwardly so as to move the extension 64 in itslocking position relative to the flange 36.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A support assembly for boat trailers adapted to support the lowersurfaces of a boat, said support assembly com-prising a standard adaptedto be secured to a boat trailer, a support bracket, means pivotallymounting said bracket to said standard for pivotal movement about asubstantially horizontally disposed axis, a flat boat support and aroller boat support carried by said support bracket in spaced relationto each other and being movable, upon rotation of said support bracket,to be selectively positioned uppermost relative to the other forcomprising the sole support of a boat surface disposed thereabove, andlatch means carried by said bracket and engageable with said supportstandard for retaining said bracket in selected pivoted positions. r

2. The combination of claim 1 including control means connected to saidsupport bracket for pivoting said support bracket to selectivelyposition said flat boat support and said roller boat support uppermostin a boat supporting position, said latch means being connected to andactuated by said control means.

3. The combination of clainr 2 wherein said roller boat support isdisposed vertically relative to said horizontally disposed axiswhen'theroller boat support is disposed in the uppermost position.

4. In combination; a boat trailer, a support assembly secured to saidboat trailer for supporting the lower surfaces ofaboatdisposedon-said-trailer, said support assembly comprising astandard, a support bracket, means pivotally mounting said bracket tosaid standard for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontallydisposed axis, a flat boat support, and a roller boat support carried bysaid support'bracket'inspaced relation to each other and being movable,upon rotation of said supportbracket, to be selectively positioneduppermost relative to the other 'for comprising the sole'support of aboat surface disposedthereabove, and latchmeans carried by said'bracketand engageable with said support standard for retaining said bracket inselected pivoted positions.

, 5. The combination of claim 4 including control means connected tosaid support bracket forpivoting said support bracket to selectivelyposition said fiat boat support and said roller boat support uppermostin a boat supporting position, said latch means being connected to andactuated bysaid control means.

.6. In combination, a boat trailer, a support assembly secured to saidboat trailer for supporting the lower surfaces of a boat disposed onsaid trailer, said support assembly comprising a standard, a supportbracket, means pivotally mounting said bracket to said standard forpivotal movement about a substantially horizontally disposed axis, afiat boat support and a roller boat support carried'by said supportbracket in spaced relation to each otherv and being movable, uponrotation of said support bracket, to be selectively positioned uppermostrelative to the other for comprising a sole support of a boat surfacedisposed thereabove, saidroller boat support being disposedverticallyrelative to said horizontally disposed axis when the roller boat supportis disposed in theuppermost position, and latch means carried by saidbracket and engageable with said support standard for retaining saidbracket in position with said flat boat support disposed in theuppermostposition.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS782,9fl9 Jeiferis Feb. 21, 1905 2,360,133 Hou'ssiere Oct. 10, 19442,788,146 Gronlund Apr. 9, 1957

